Joliet man on bicycle accused of attacking woman

A woman in Joliet was attacked by a man on a bicycle after she caught him trying to take items out of a clothing donation bin, police said.

Officers responded to the incident at 6:44 p.m. Tuesday in the 2800 block of Plainfield Road, said Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English. The man trying to take the items out of the bin was identified as Brandon Tatum, 37, of Joliet.

After the woman told Tatum to stop, English said he approached the truck the woman was driving while he was on his bicycle.

Tatum then intentionally collided his bicycle into the woman’s truck and damaged it. The driver’s side window of the truck was open. Tatum reached into that part of the vehicle and struck the woman in the face.

Tatum then opened the woman’s door and pushed her when she exited the truck.

“During the attack, Tatum grabbed the victim’s phone and threw it to the ground, damaging the phone,” English said.

Tatum fled the area.

English said officers found Tatum in the 2700 block of Plainfield Road. They arrested him on probable cause of aggravated battery and criminal damage to property.